Untitled Sermon (6)

The New International Version Chapter 19

As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

“A Visit from the King”

Text: Luke: 19:35-44

Introduction: Our biblical account today, takes us back to the first Palm Sunday. As Jesus approaches the Mount of Olives, He gives an assignment to a couple of His disciples to go and secure a colt. He prepares to ride into Jerusalem in fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. In doing so He goes to present Himself to the Nation of Israel as the long awaited Messiah. Isn’t it strange how when the King visits all types of preparation is made. If President Biden was coming to Gainesville, all types of preparation would be made. Announcement and billboards would prepare us for His arrival. But this visit was different from any other entrance into the Holy City. Let us look at the response of the Crowd, the complaint of the critics, and the cry of the Christ.

The Response of the Crowd (Lk. 19:35-38)

As Jesus comes down the westside of the Mount of Olives towards Jerusalem He is met by a crowd of disciples praising God for all the miracles that they had seen. In their minds, the Prophet from Nazareth was more than just a prophet. He is greeted as “the King that cometh in the name of the Lord.” This clearly was a Messianic expression. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you: He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” It was a joyous occasion, the record declares “the whole crowd of disciples began to joyfully praise God in loud voices. What a perfect time to re-introduce Himself toHis Jewish kinsmen. Some of those who are there had seen Him feed five thousand men not counting the women and children. Some were there when blind Bartemaeous was given his sight. In their estimation, Jesus had given adequate proof that He was the Messiah.

The Complaint of the Critics (Luke 19:39)

In the crowd were some Pharisees, they became increasingly disturbed by the emotionalism of the multitude. Isn’t it ironic, there will always some who don’t like you praising God. The act of spreading their cloaks on the road was a sign of the respect that they had for Jesus. When you know God has done something for you the critics ought not be able to silence you. They had witness the miracles and power of Christ and were not ashamed to acclaim Him Messiah and King. Caesar was king of the Roman empire , but there were those in this multitude who were willing to proclaim Jesus as King of the Jews. Is there anybody here today, that in-spite of whats going on or could happen, Jesus is still King. Biblical history had pointed to this single, spectacular event when the Messiah would publically announce Himself to the nation of Israel and God desired that it would be known. Christ responds to the critics and said “I tell you,” if they keep quiet, the rocks or stones will cry out.” No critic will ever be able to dispute the fact that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and King. The physical church struggles today because another king tries to rule and God is still saying Jesus is King. We would not experience some of the the heartache and calamities that rock our world if Jesus is acknowledge and respected as King by those who believe and those who don’t believe. Because whether you believe or not is going to change the fact that Christ is the Messiah.

The Cry of the Christ (Luke 19:41-42)

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. If only the people of Jerusalem and our present day world would realize the significance of the hour upon us. Jesus is now presenting Himself as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. This was Israel’s greatest opportunity. This is the greatest opportunity for the world to repent and accept Christ as Messiah, Savior, and Lord. Christ weeps over the city because He knew the destruction that was to come on Jerusalem. There are consequences to come for rejecting Christ’s rule and authority. Our world is headed for disaster because we continue to defy the fact that Christ is King. Its God world, the Church belongs to Him, we are just major role players who have lost our way because we refuse to crown Him king. Lets us not be like some in the crowd. You know the story! Some resisted so strongly until another cry was made. Crucify Him! Crucify Him!

Closure: Palm Sunday should remind us that Jesus is soon to return. There are consequences to come for not being prepared for Christs return. Will there be a repeat of human actions when He comes. This crowd rejected Him as the Messiah until the cry was made crucify Him. They tried Him in an unjust court, mocked Him, whipped Him, put a crown of thorns on His head, put a cross on His shoulders and march Him up to Calvary, nailed His hands and put spikes into His feet, He died